Italy is best value skiing country, report finds

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Prices in some Italian resorts have fallen by 10 per cent over the last year as operators have started a price war to drum up trade.

The annual Post Office Travel Money report into skiing holidays will show that Italy has three resorts in a global ‘best value’ top ten list – Livigno, Sestriere and Cervinia. This is followed by Austria, which has two resorts in the top ten.

The report examines the cost of a six-day ski pass, ski and boot hire, ski school, and the cost of one day's food on the slopes. It compares 27 major resorts across Europe and North America.

The report found that Italy is the “value choice” for people looking for a cheap holiday, with prices for a week’s skiing ranging from £361 to £440, not including flights.

Visitors to Livigno in the Italian Alps was found to offer the lowest-price ski school out of all the locations surveyed, with six half-day lessons priced at £75.44, compared to over £150 in some resorts.

Andrew Brown, head of travel money at the Post Office, said: “Italy looks like being the pick of the bunch for skiers who want to visit one of Europe’s best-rated ski countries this season and save money into the bargain. Not only are prices down in Livigno and Selva but the Italian resorts, rated by experts as offering world-class skiing, feature in the top ten choices for best value.”

Italy’s popularity as a skiing destination has been growing in recent years. Usually, Austria is slightly cheaper than Italy, a spokesman for Post Office Travel Money said.

Italy accounted for 15.4 per cent of all skiing holidays taken last year, compared to 14 per cent the year before.

The spokesman said: “Italy has done better than other resorts by being really price competitive. It is a buyers market, and resorts that respond best to buyers’ demands are doing well.”

Simon Cross, managing director Crystal Ski, the tour operator, said: “Skiers have become ever more value conscious over the past few seasons.”

“It is a volatile market with prices going up and down every day. However, depending on when you booked - based on the past few weeks - you could save around five per cent on last year’s package prices to Italy. That is making a big difference according to Crystal Ski, which has seen double digit booking increases to Italian ski resorts in the past week, building on existing strong sales for the coming season.”

Although Italy dominated the top ten list of best-value resorts, the cheapest location was found to be Bansko in Bulgaria, where six day ski pass, ski and boot hire, ski school is £264.52.

Top Ten Best Value Resorts with cost of week-long ski pass, ski hire and ski school plus one day’s food: